Forklift refuse bin and baler accessory with movable base portion

ABSTRACT

A forklift operated refuse bin and baler accessory is disclosed which has a base, including a load bearing portion formed for support of a forklift truck therein, and a hopper and compressor means mounted on the base and formed for compression of refuse when driven by the lifting mechanism of a forklift truck. The load bearing portion of the base is formed and mounted for movement from a first position for support of the forward wheels of a forklift truck thereon during compression of refuse to a second stored position for lifting and transport of the baler accessory from the compressor operating side of the baler. Latching means for selectively securing the load bearing portion of the base in stored position is also disclosed.

[451 Oct. 1,1974

[ FORKLIFT REFUSE BIN AND BALER ACCESSORY WITH MOVABLE BASE PORTION [75] Inventor: Jay R. Guhl, San Leandro, Calif.

[73] Assignees: Dean Park, San Leandro, Calif.;

Autobale America Corporation, part interest to each 22 Filed: Sept. 11,1972

21 Appl. No.: 287,745

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 152,710, June 14,

1971, Pat. No. 3,691,945.

[52] US. Cl 100/229 R, 100/255, IOO/DIG. 15 [51] Int. Cl ..-B30b 15/06 [58] Field of Search..... 53/124 TS; 100/229 R, 255,

IOO/DIG. 15; 214/302 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,922,360 l/l960 Monk IOU/229 R 3,242,851 3/1966 Brawley et al. 100/l00 X 3,593,654 7/1971 Mayfield IOU/229 R X Primary Examiner-l-larvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerC. K. Moore Attorney, Agent, or FirmWarren, Rubin & Chickering 5 7 ABSTRACT A forklift operated refuse bin and baler accessory is disclosed which has a base, including a load bearing portion formed for support of a forklift truck therein, and a hopper and compressor means mounted on the base and formed for compression of refuse when driven by the lifting mechanism of a forklift truck. The load bearing portion of the base is formed and mounted for movement from a first position for support of the forward wheels of a forklift truck thereon during compression of refuse to a second stored position for lifting and transport of the baler accessory from the compressor operating side of the baler. Latching means for selectively securing the load bearing portion of the base in stored position is also disclosed.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures FORKLIFT REFUSE BIN AND BALER ACCESSORY WITH MOVABLE BASE PORTION This application is a continuation-in-part application of my prior U.S. application Ser. No. 152,710, filed June 14, l97l now U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,945, issued Sept. 19, 1972.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The number of man-hours and the cost of labor involved in the handling of commercial, industrial and institutional solid waste materials has been constantly growing. Accordingly, considerable need has arisen for solid waste refuse receptacles, compactors and baling devices which not only compact and reduce the bulk of refuse, but as a result thereof, reduce the cost of handling the same. One solution to this problem has been forklift truck operated compactor and baling devices. Such compactors and balers do not require external electrical or hydraulic connections, nor are installations of any kind necessary. The unit operates by means of power supplied by the lifting action of the forklift truck. Additionally, the forklift truck maybe used to transport the compactor and baler to various locations where solid waste disposal may be required. Typical of such forklift truck powered refuse bin and baler accessories are the device of my previously referred to application and the device as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,654.

While these type of balers have been'found to be highly advantageous in many applications, certain limitations exist in connection with the periodic movement of the compactors from site to site. Thus, in the baler accessory of my prior application, it was necessary to disengage the forklift from the hopper, maneuver the forklift around from the compressor operating side of the accessory to the opposite side thereof, and engage the stationary compressor member, in order to lift and transport the overall baler. Similarly, the forklift must be disengaged from the compressor operating side of the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,654, and the forklift truck maneuvered around to a side perpendicular to the compressor operating side of the baler to enable lifting and transport of the accessory. In certain applications, it is not possible or very inconvenient, time consuming and impractical to move the forklift from the compressor operating side of the baler to a second side in order to be able to transport the baler.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a forklift refuse bin and baler accessory having improved mobility and operating characteristics to increase the speed and ease with which the accessory 'may be used to compress refuse and be moved from place to place.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a forklift refuse bin and baler accessory which is durable, relatively inexpensive to construct, and is safe in its use and operation.

The forklift refuse bin and baler accessory of the present invention has other objects and features of advantage which may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing and are set forth in more detail hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The forklift refuse bin and baler accessory of the present invention is formed with a base, including a load bearing portion formed for support of a forklift truck thereon, and a hopper and compressor means mounted on the base and formed for receipt and compression of refuse therein. The hopper and compressor means is provided with compressor actuating means formed for engagement by the forks of a forklift truck from a compressor operating side of the accessory for compression of refuse upon vertical reciprocation of the forks of a forklift truck. The improvement of the present invention is comprised, briefly, of the load bearing portion of the base being formed and mounted to the remainder of the accessory for movement from a first position for support of the forklift truck thereon to a second stored position to enable transport of the accessory. At least one of the base and the hopper and compressor means is formed with forklift engaging means formed for engagement by the forks of a forklift truck for lifting and transporting of the accessory, the r ing constructions for the movable load bearing portion of the base and for a guide element mounted to a guide element supporting portion of the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a forklift refuse bin and baler accessory constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown with a forklift truck operating the same.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the baler accessory of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a reduced, fragmentary, back elevational view of the baler accessory of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along the plane of line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational views taken along the plane of line 5-5 of FIG. 3 and showing the position of the base of the baler accessory of the present invention during compression and transport.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of an alternative em bodiment of the refuse bin and baler accessory of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, a forklift refuse bin and I baler accessory, generally designated 21, having a base generally designated 22, including a load bearing portion 23 formed for support of a forklift truck 24 thereon, is shown. Refuse bin and baler accessory 21 further includes hopper and compressor means 26 mounted on base 22.

In the preferred form of the forklift accessory of the present invention, hopper and compressor means 26 includes a guide 27 mounted to base 22 and extending upright therefrom, a compressor member 28 fixedly carried by guide 27, and a refuse hopper 29 having an open top 31 mounted to guide 27 for vertical reciprocation thereon. The open top of the hopper is dimensioned for receipt of compressor member 28 into the hopper for compression of refuse between member 28 and the bottom of hopper 29. In the preferred form of the baler compressor actuating means 32, formed as C-shaped channels (best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3), are mounted to the bottom of hopper 29 and formed for engagement by forks 33 of forklift truck 24 for elevation of hopper 29 on guide 27 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 1 and higher for compression of refuse positioned in the hopper. As thus far described, the refuse bin and baler accessory of the present invention is constructed in substantially the same manner as the refuse bin and baler accessory of my prior application Ser. No. 152,710, and accordingly, the details of construction and operation of the vertically reciprocating hopper and stationary compressor member are not repeated herein.

While it is preferable to use a hopper and compressor means constructed in accordance with my previous ap plication, theadvantages and features of the improved bin and baler accessory of the present invention can be readily incorporated into a forklift baler constructed as shown in FIG. 7 and having a hopper and compressor means 26a, as is also shown in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,654. That is, the hopper and compressor means 26a can be comprised of a box-like hopper 29a fixedly mounted to a base 22a with a load bearing portion 23a formed for support of the front wheels of a forklift truck extending laterally of the hopper and a compressor member formed as a movable plate 28a mounted in the hopper. The compressor actuating means 32a is, in this form, mounted to the movable plate, rather than to a movable hopper. Thus, in the baler of my prior application the hopper and compressor means is formed with a movable hopper and a stationary compressor member, while in the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,654, the hopper and compressor means 26a is provided by a movable compressor member 28a a mounted inside a stationary hopper 29a.

In the device of my prior application it will be seen, by comparison of FIGS. 1 and 9, that the forklift truck must disengage itself from the compressor operating side of the accessory and maneuver around to the opposite side of the baler in order to lift and transport the baler to a new location. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,654, the forklift must similarly leave the compressor operating side of the baler and maneuver around to a side 90 therefrom in order to lift the accessory and transport the same. While this maneuvering can be accomplished in many applications, there are numbers of situations in which it is very difficult and time consuming for the forklift to be maneuvered from an operating side of the baler to a second perpendicularly or oppositely facing side in order to allow movement of the baler. For example, it-is highly desirable, in warehouses which have aisles only slightly wider than the baler accessory to be able to proceed down an aisle, position the baler, deposit refuse in the baler, compress the refuse, and continue to a second position down the aisle, all without the necessity of having the forklift pick up the baler from a side other than the compressor operating side.

Accordingly, is an important feature of the present invention that load bearing portion 23 of base 22 be formed and mounted relative to the remainder of the accessory, and particularly base 22, for movement from a first position for support of the front wheels of the forklift truck 24 thereon (FIG. 1) to a second stored position (FIG. 2). Additionally, at least one of base 22 and hopper and compressor means 26 is formed with fork engaging means formed for engagement by forks 33 for lifting and transport of the accessory. In the preferred form of the baler of the present invention the C-shaped channels 32 mounted underneath hopper 29 act not only as compressor actuating means to lift the hopper and compress refuse, but channels 32 also act as fork engaging means along with edge 37 of plate 33 of the base for transport of the baler. Thus, both the base and hopper and compressor means in the preferred form of the invention include a portion of the forklift engaging means. The fork engaging means is positioned for access thereto and engagement by forks 33 from compressor operating side 34 of the accessory when load bearing portion 23 is disposed in stored position. Thus, with load bearing plate 23 posi tioned as shown in FIG. I, the front wheels of the forklift truck may be driven onto the base in order to employ the forklift truck lifting capability to reciprocate the hopper upwardly to compress refuse against compressor member 28. In order to move the accessory without going around to a second side thereof, the forklift can back off of plate 23, engage the distal edge 36 thereof and raise the load bearing portion as shown in FIG. 2 to the upright position shown in solid lines. With the load-supporting plate latched in upright stored position, forks 33 may then pass underneath edge 37 of the plate to engage C-shaped channels 32 and lift accessory 21 from the compressor operating side 34 of the accessory to transport the same. Thus, it is no longer necessary to maneuver to the opposite side of the baler and lift the baler by engaging compressor member 28.In an analogous manner as shown in FIG. 7, the ramps 23a on the baler 21a (constructed as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,593,654), can be pivotally mounted at hinges. or pivots 39a to the base 22a of the hopper 29a and swung upwardly to afford access to lifting channels 37a for the accessory. This configuration would require orientation of the accessory lifting channels 37a parallel to the compressor plate lifting channels rather than at thereto and at 90 to the ramp 23a, as is shown in U.S.

Pat. No. 3,593,654.

In order to effect movement from a compressor operating position to a stored position load supporting portion 23 may be pivotally mounted to a guide supporting portion 38 of base 22 by pivotal connection means 39. To minimize any safety hazard, it is preferable that latch means, generally designated 41, be mounted to hopper portion 42 which surrounds and slides along guide 27.'Latch means 41 includes a latch member 43 formed to engage load bearing plate 23 adjacent edge 36 thereof, and spring biasing means 44 formed to bias plate 23 against latch member 43 to maintain the plate latched in stored position. In FIG. 7 latch means 41a is secured to hopper 29a and is provided with a latch member 43a to releasably latch ramps 23a in the stored position. Thus, the combination of the spring biasing means 44, preferably a leaf spring, and of the latch 43 ensures that inadvertent jarring of accessory 21 will not result in plate 23 pivoting down and injuring personnel adjacent the same. Latch member 43 is preferably gravity biased by being pivotally mounted at pin 46 for movement to the latched position as shown in FIG. 2. Latch member 43 is further formed with a tapered surface 47 which is engaged by the outer edge 36 of the plate as it swings upwardly. The tapered surface causes the latch member to be displaced upwardly from its latched position to receive edge 36 of the plate, and the gravity biasing causes latch member 43 to fall back downwardly to cooperatively engage and lock the plate in stored position. It should be noted that stop pin 48 limits the downward pivoting of latch member 43 to a position that will ensure the passage of edge 36 past the latch to effect locking of the same. Additionally, pivot pin 46 and the center of gravity of member 43 is preferably relatively positioned so that latch member 43 may be gravity biased to a stable unlatched position (shown in broken lines on FIG. 2) to allow release of plate 23 from the latching mechanism.

In operation, the forklift tines or forks 33 engage a beveled surface 49 on plate 23, or a similar surface 49a on ramps 23a and the forks can be advanced toward the accessory to begin the pivoting action of plate 23 on ramps 23a. Forks 33 are then lifted as the forklift is advanced to the intermediate position shown in phantom on FIG. 2. Finally, the forks are advanced forwardly and upwardly to urge edge 36 past latch 43, which is raised by reason of tapered front surface 47 to allow latching. Gravity biasing of latch 43 ensures that it drops behind the plate, with spring 44 being slightly depressed by the force of the forklifts when the latch drops behind the plate. If the latch is displaced to the stable gravity biased unlatched position shown in broken lines on FIG. 2, slight jarring of the plate with forks 33 will cause the latch to bounce to latched position. Leaf spring 44 causes the plate to be urged outwardly against the latch, which holds the plate in stored position. To release the latch, the forks are brought into engagement with the underside of plate 23 as shown in phantom by the uppermost position of the forks in FIG. 2. The forks are then urged toward guide 27 to depress spring 44. Latch 43 may then be lifted to the stable unlatched position, and plate 23 is then free to be pivoted to a position allowing the forklift wheels to drive onto the upper surface thereof.

As was noted in my prior application, it is highly advantageous to have guide 27 pivotally mounted to base 22. Accordingly, as best may be seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, guide element 27 is again preferably pivotally mounted by pivot pin 51 to ear 52, which is fixedly secured to guide supporting portion 38 of the base. In my prior application, the height of ear 52 was selected to position pivot pin 51 so that the bottom 53 of the guide element 27 would clear the base plate, allowing the guide element to be rotated to the position as shown in FIG. 8 of my prior application. In the improved baler of the present invention, however, it is a further feature of the present invention that guide 27 be pivotally mounted to plate 38 in a manner limiting rotation of plate 38 about pivot pin 51 during the compression operation and during lifting of the entire accessory.

As best may be seen in FIG. 5, when the forklift truck is positioned on the upper surface of plate 23 and a compressive force applied to the hopper to urge the same upwardly against compressor member 28, there will be an upward lifting force, F,, on guide element 27. The upward lifting force results from the hopper forcing refuse up against membef 28 which is fixedly secured to guide 27. When an upward lifting force is present in guide 27, plate 38 will pivot about pins 51 and 57 until the edge 54 of the guide element engages the upper surface of plate 38 limiting rotation about the ins. p During the transportation of baler accessory 21 forklift tines 33 will pass under the lower edge 37 of plate 23 and engage the aligned downwardly facing lifting surface 58 of C-shaped channels 32 to lift the baler. Since part of the weight of the baler is supported on edge 37 of plate 23, an upward lifting force, F will act on pivotal connection 39 causing plate 38 to pivot about pins 51 and 57 until edge 56 of guide 27 engages the upper surface of plate'38. Thus, the pivotal mounting of guide 27 to plate 38 preferably is accomplished so that the guide element is free to pivot through a limited arc to accommodate a non-vertical forklift mast, but is further mounted and formed so that the pivotal connection 39 between plates 23 and 38 will not cause plate 38 to be pivoted beyond a position supporting both upward compression and lifting forces.

I claim:

1. In a forklift refuse bin and baler accessory having a base including a load bearing portion formed for support of a forklift truck thereon, and hopper and compressor means mounted on said base and formed for receipt and compression of refuse therein, said hopper and compressor means including compressor actuating means formed and positioned for engagement by the forks of a forklift truck from a compressor operating side of said accessory and fon'ned to drive said hopper and compressor means for compression of refuse upon engagement by and vertical reciprocation of said forks, the improvement comprising:

said load bearing portion of said base being formed and mounted relative to the remainder of said accessory for movement from a first position for support of said forklift truck thereon to enable compression of refuse to a second stored position to enable transport of said accessory; and

at least one of said base and said hopper and compressor means being formed with forklift engaging means formed for engagement by said forks for lifting and transport of said accessory, said forklift engaging means being positioned for access thereto and engagement by said forks from said compressor operating side when said load bearing portion is disposed in stored position.

2. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 1 wherein, said hopper and compressor means includes a guide mounted on said base and extending upright therefrom, a compressor member fixedly carried by said guide, and an open top refuse hopper mounted on said guide for vertical reciprocation and dimensioned to receive said compressor member into the open top thereof for compression of refuse, said compressor actuating means being fomied as fork engaging means mounted to said hopper for elevation of said hopper to said compressor member, and wherein,

said base includes a guide supporting portion and said guide is mounted to said guide supporting portion, and said load bearing portion extends laterally of said hopper and is pivotally secured to said guide supporting portion.

3. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 2, and

latch means mounted to said hopper and formed and positioned to releasably latch said load bearing portion in said stored position.

4. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 3 wherein,

said latch means includes, a latch member formed to engage said load bearing portion, and spring biasing means carried by said hopper and formed to engage and bias said load bearing portion against said latch member in latched position to maintain said load bearing member secured in stored position.

5. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 4 wherein,

said latch member is pivotally mounted to said hop- 5 per and said latch member is formed and mounted for gravity biasing to a stable unlatched position for release of said load bearing portion and is mounted for gravity biasing to a second latched position cooperatively engaged and locked with said load bearing portion under gravity biasing for latching of said load bearing portion in said stored position.

6. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 5 wherein,

said latch member is further formed for movement from said second stable position to an unlatched position for receipt and latching said load bearing portion upon pivotal movement of said load bearing portion to impact said latch member.

7. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 2 wherein,

said load bearing portion is a substantially planar plate pivotally connected along a first edge to said guide supporting portion, said plate having an opa downwardly facing lifting surface underneath said hopper, and

said plate is pivotally mounted to position said first edge in alignment with said lifting surface upon pivoting of said plate to said stored position to provide another portion of said fork engaging means for lifting of said accessory by engaging said first edge of said plate and said lifting surface with said forks.

9. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 2 wherein,

said guide is pivotally mounted to said guide supporting portion of said base, and said guide and guide supporting portion are formed to limit rotation of said guide supporting portion about said guide during transport of said accessory and compression of refuse.

10. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 1 wherein said hopper and compressor means includes a box-like hopper fixedly mounted to said base, and a compressor member formed as a movable plate mounted for reciprocation in said hopper, and said compressor actuating means is formed as fork engaging means mounted to said movable plate, and wherein,

said load bearing portion of said base is pivotally a portion of said fork engaging means is provided by mounted to the remainder of said base. 11. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 10, and

latch means secured to said hopper and formed and positioned to releasably latch said load bearing portion in stored position. 

1. In a forklift refuse bin and baler accessory having a base including a load bearing portion formed for support of a forklift truck thereon, and hopper and compressor means mounted on said base and formed for receipt and compression of refuse therein, said hopper and compressor means including compressor actuating means formed and positioned for engagement by the forks of a forklift truck from a compressor operating side of said accessory and formed to drive said hopper and compressor means for compression of refuse upon engagement by and vertical reciprocation of said forks, the improvemeNt comprising: said load bearing portion of said base being formed and mounted relative to the remainder of said accessory for movement from a first position for support of said forklift truck thereon to enable compression of refuse to a second stored position to enable transport of said accessory; and at least one of said base and said hopper and compressor means being formed with forklift engaging means formed for engagement by said forks for lifting and transport of said accessory, said forklift engaging means being positioned for access thereto and engagement by said forks from said compressor operating side when said load bearing portion is disposed in stored position.
 2. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 1 wherein, said hopper and compressor means includes a guide mounted on said base and extending upright therefrom, a compressor member fixedly carried by said guide, and an open top refuse hopper mounted on said guide for vertical reciprocation and dimensioned to receive said compressor member into the open top thereof for compression of refuse, said compressor actuating means being formed as fork engaging means mounted to said hopper for elevation of said hopper to said compressor member, and wherein, said base includes a guide supporting portion and said guide is mounted to said guide supporting portion, and said load bearing portion extends laterally of said hopper and is pivotally secured to said guide supporting portion.
 3. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 2, and latch means mounted to said hopper and formed and positioned to releasably latch said load bearing portion in said stored position.
 4. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 3 wherein, said latch means includes, a latch member formed to engage said load bearing portion, and spring biasing means carried by said hopper and formed to engage and bias said load bearing portion against said latch member in latched position to maintain said load bearing member secured in stored position.
 5. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 4 wherein, said latch member is pivotally mounted to said hopper and said latch member is formed and mounted for gravity biasing to a stable unlatched position for release of said load bearing portion and is mounted for gravity biasing to a second latched position cooperatively engaged and locked with said load bearing portion under gravity biasing for latching of said load bearing portion in said stored position.
 6. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 5 wherein, said latch member is further formed for movement from said second stable position to an unlatched position for receipt and latching said load bearing portion upon pivotal movement of said load bearing portion to impact said latch member.
 7. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 2 wherein, said load bearing portion is a substantially planar plate pivotally connected along a first edge to said guide supporting portion, said plate having an opposite beveled edge formed with a downwardly facing inclined surface positioned for engagement by said forks for lifting of said plate to said stored position.
 8. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 7 wherein, a portion of said fork engaging means is provided by a downwardly facing lifting surface underneath said hopper, and said plate is pivotally mounted to position said first edge in alignment with said lifting surface upon pivoting of said plate to said stored position to provide another portion of said fork engaging means for lifting of said accessory by engaging said first edge of said plate and said lifting surface with said forks.
 9. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 2 wherein, said guide is pivotally mounted to said guide supporting portion of said base, and said guide and guide supporting portion are formed to limit rotation of said guide supporting portion about said guide during transport of said accessory and compression of refuse.
 10. A forklift accessorY as defined in claim 1 wherein said hopper and compressor means includes a box-like hopper fixedly mounted to said base, and a compressor member formed as a movable plate mounted for reciprocation in said hopper, and said compressor actuating means is formed as fork engaging means mounted to said movable plate, and wherein, said load bearing portion of said base is pivotally mounted to the remainder of said base.
 11. A forklift accessory as defined in claim 10, and latch means secured to said hopper and formed and positioned to releasably latch said load bearing portion in stored position. 